British Forces Motorcycles 1925-1945
British Forces Motorcycles 1925-1945

Author: Chris Orchard

Publisher: History Press

Published: 2017

Total Pages: 304

ISBN-13: 9780750958639

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Perhaps the most far-reaching of the many changes wrought on the military by the First World War was the mechanisation of the armed services. After many centuries of use by the Army for patrols and communications, the trusty horse was finally supplanted by the newfangled motorcycle. This process of mechanisation gathered pace during the interwar years and in particular for the military motorcycle between 1925 and 1939. By the outbreak of the Second World War the motorcycle had become an important part of the military inventory and was deemed ‘suitable for WD (War Department) requirements’. When it was first published in 1995, this fully illustrated book was unique in looking at all military motorcycles of British origin known to have been tested mainly by the Mechanical Warfare Experimental Establishment (later called the Mechanisation Experimental Establishment). This edition is fully revised and updated and includes three new chapters, covering standard parts, bike markings and paint schemes.

British Forces Motorcycles, 1925-45
British Forces Motorcycles, 1925-45

Author: Chris J. Orchard

Publisher: Sutton Publishing

Published: 2006

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9780750944519

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Perhaps the most far reaching of the many changes wrought on the military by the First World War was the mechanization of the armed services. After many centuries of use by the Army for patrols and communications, the trusty horse was finally supplanted by the new-fangled motorcycle. This mechanization process gathered pace during the interwar years and in particular for the military motorcycle between 1925 and 1939. By the outbreak of the Second World War the motorcycle had become an important part of the military inventory and deemed 'suitable for WD (War Department) requirements'. When it was first published in 1995, this fully illustrated book was unique in looking at all military motorcycles of British origin known to have been tested mainly by the Mechanical Warfare Experimental Establishment (later called the Mechanisation Experimental Establishment). Ten years on, the authors are producing a fully revised and updated new edition of their book that will include three new chapters covering standard parts, bike markings and paint schemes. There will also be a picture spread that illustrates despatch rider's clothing. New to this edition will be a 16pp colour section that will illustrate restored WD bikes, including detail shots of engines and components.

Churchill's Army
Churchill's Army

Author: Stephen Bull

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2016-09-22

Total Pages: 370

ISBN-13: 1844863999

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Winston Churchill, Britain's iconic war time Prime Minister, is inextricably linked with the victorious British Army of 1939 to 1945. Yet hindsight, propaganda, and the imperative of the defeat of Hitler and Imperial Japan, have led to a tendency to oversimplify the image of Churchill the war leader, and 'his' Army. For whilst Churchill was undeniably a towering statesman, his relations with both the Army and War Office were ambiguous and altered considerably not only with the progress of the Second World War, but over decades. In this comprehensive book, Stephen Bull examines every aspect of the British Army during the Second World War, and considers in detail the strengths and weaknesses of an organisation that was tested to its limits on many fronts but made an immense contribution to the successful Allied outcome. The book explores the structure of military power from the men who ran it, the Generals to the detail of the regiments they commanded. It looks at the uniforms the soldiers wore and the badges and insignia they bore on their uniforms. The weaponry Churchill's army used is discussed in detail, from small arms including rifles, bayonets, grenades, carbines and machine guns to the massed firepower of the artillery along with the increasing sophistication of tanks and other military vehicles during the period. Finally the role of auxiliary and special forces and their contribution to the campaign is considered. The comprehensive text is enhanced by more than 200 contemporary photographs.

AJS and Matchless Post-War Singles and Twins
AJS and Matchless Post-War Singles and Twins

Author: Matthew Vale

Publisher: The Crowood Press

Published: 2016-08-31

Total Pages: 365

ISBN-13: 1785001965

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Associated Motor Cycles (AMC) produced some of the most iconic British bikes of the 1940s and 1950s. Badged as either AJS or Matchless, the range covered everything from plodding ride-to-work four-stroke singles, weekend racers, two-stroke motocrossers and full-blown Grand Prix contenders. Illustrated with over 200 photographs, this comprehensive account looks at the history and development of the single and twin-cylinder ranges; the racing bikes; technical details of all major models, and owning and riding AJS and Matchless bikes today. An invaluable resource for the AMC enthusiast and motorcycle historians, superbly illustrated with over 200 colour and black & white photographs.

An Illustrated History of Military Motorcycles
An Illustrated History of Military Motorcycles

Author: Pat Ware

Publisher: Southwater

Published: 2012-10

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781780192024

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During the early years of World War I, motorcycles started to enter military service, replacing the mounted despatch rider and providing a means of mechanizing machine-gun and stretcher units. This fully illustrated book covers the lively history of the military motorcycle,highlighting the varied role motorcycles have played, as well as how the vehicles have evolved over time. It provides a country-by-country overview of military motorcycles in France, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Great Britain, the USA, the USSR and Japan. An expertly written volume, it provides enthusiasts with key information about the history of these diverse multi-tasking vehicles.

SOE: The Scientific Secrets
SOE: The Scientific Secrets

Author: Fredric Boyce

Publisher: The History Press

Published: 2011-11-08

Total Pages: 283

ISBN-13: 0752475800

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The history of Special Operations Executive (SOE) seems to spring a never-ending run of surprises, and here are some more. This book explores the mysterious world of the tools SOE used for their missions of subversion and sabotage. An often grim reality is confronted that is more akin with the world of James Bond and Q's workshop than previously believed. Written by two scientists, one of whom served in the SOE and one who was tasked with clearing up after it was disbanded; their insider knowledge presents a clear account of the way in which SOE's inventors worked. From high explosive technology to chemical and biological devices; from the techniques of air supply to incendiarism; from camouflage to underwater warfare; and from radio communications to weaponry. SOE: The Scientific Secrets is a revelation about the tools that allowed the murky world of spying and spies to operate during wartime.

War Bike: British Military Motorcycling 1899-1919
War Bike: British Military Motorcycling 1899-1919

Author: Martin Gegg

Publisher: Lulu.com

Published: 2015-10-01

Total Pages: 118

ISBN-13: 9781326406677

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This is the story of British Military Motorcycling from the pioneering days of the 1890s until the end of the First World War. Using original War Office documents contemporary reports and photographs the Author guides the reader though the evolution of the Despatch Rider as a vital cog in the military wheel. Read how a pioneer cyclist developed the concept of the Despatch Rider and took on a cautious War Office immersed in the transition from horse-power to mechanised transport. The author moves from the historic backdrop of Brooklands Circuit to the barren landscape of the military Front, telling the story of those men and women volunteers who took their motorcycles to War for the first time.